An ER doctor from New Hampshire came to New York to help coronavirus victims, but when he moved into his brother’s Upper West Side co-op, the board asked him to leave just two days later, The NY Times reports.
Dr. Richard Levitan came to volunteer his time at Bellevue Hospital, where he was a resident from 1990-1994. He initially tried to book a hotel room at The Four Seasons, but they weren’t yet ready to admit medical professionals.
So he contacted his brother, who owns a co-op near Central Park in the West 60s and is currently out of town with his family.
Levitan arrived to the co-op on Saturday, which he told the NY Times was virtually empty.
He was handed a list of the co-op’s rules during the pandemic. One of the clauses states that only residents, relatives, nannies and home health care aides would be allowed into the building.
Two days later, Levitan’s brother sent him a text, saying that the building’s board didn’t want him there.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”16″]“Hey Richard — We are so proud of you and your heroism. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but looks like our apartment building doesn’t want you staying in our apt.”
[/perfectpullquote]This news was confirmed that evening when Levitan entered the lobby and spoke with the doorman and building super. Neither were able to say for sure why the board had made its decision. But the super did say, “I guess they’re afraid of you bringing this virus with you”.
According to the Times, Levitan was dismayed, since he was coming from a rural area which is much less risky of infection. He apparently video recorded the conversation he had with the doorman and super, though it wasn’t released. He also requested the Times leave the building address out of their story to avoid getting his brother into trouble with them.
Luckily, the doctor was able to find another place to stay in the city.
Dr. Levitan is the founder of Airway Cam and several other medical inventions.
That Co op that booted the doctor should be ashamed of themselves.
The outage this grotesque story will generate should be a wake up call for dictatorial coop boards in the city. You know who you are.
Rise up coop owners who are sick and tired of narrow-minded, power hoarding, bigoted, self-serving board members!
Someone in this building needs to ‘out’ the address of this building and the names of the members of the co op board.
Hope no one in that co-op needs a doctor anytime soon…
Rich Levitan is an emergency medicine guru. He is probably one of the five most respected emergency physicians in the world. NYC is lucky to have him in this time of need. This co-op should be absolutely ashamed of itself.
This is clearly an example of bad behavior. What is the building — would like to know?
Absolutely shameful
It’s fascinating that the people in this building are so afraid of an outsider when it is the people ALREADY living in the building who are likely to get sick and infect others in the building.
And for it to be a doctor of such reknown? Unreal.
People in this city are losing their minds and souls with fear that is misplaced.
I wonder if this is even legal.
The board in that building should be ousted.
The people in the building who allow this? COWARDS
Let’s see what happens when someone actually comes down with the virus. AND SOMEONE WILL.
Will they kick THEM OUT?
I’m still trying to figure out how they knew he was there?
What fearful person initiated all of this? SERIOUSLY.
Verging on criminal. This coop should be ashamed.
Disgusting selfish turds
Almost every co-op board is
This is terrible. He cane to helpBout city. Further he is a relative of the reside t. They should be ashamed of their selfishness.
That is sad. He can stay at the Four Seasons- $1,200 a night rooms are free for healthcare workers.
His brothers name is Dan so you can look up the address of his apartment.
Please let us know the name of building. After this pandemic is gone we should be present in front…
This situation needs to be monitored after the fact, too – if the board is so utterly bereft of ethics and basic decency to deny a renowned emergency physician a place to stay during a major public health emergency, they won’t bat an eye at tossing his brother right out of the building. Absolutely shameful.
Discusting. I hope the address will come out. With enough pressure I doubt they would kick out his brother. And if they do I will be one of the first outside with a sign.
Need to post in public the name of the board members and make sure they don’t get medical treatment ! It’s like shooting someone in the back during war !
This man came to New York to PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE in order to help stricken New Yorkers. But, oh, we have rules! Can’t break the rules! Go to hell, you bunch of animals.
This man came to New York to PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE in order to help stricken New Yorkers. But, oh, we have rules! Can’t break the rules! Go to hell, you bunch of animals.
I think the building is actually on West 86th St.
I wonder if these people also rush to their windows at 7pm to yell “Thank you!” to healthcare and other essential workers. They had a chance to actually support one of them, and they blew it.
The building is called the Toulaine at 130 W 67th St
Thank you!
The Toulaine? I know someone who lives in that building and he’s quite an ass so this dick move doesn’t really surprise me.
Yet, these are the very same privileged and self entitled people who will be the first to run (and run over others in the process) to the ER, expecting brave, dedicated doctors like Dr. Richard Levitan, to immediately and personally take care of them first.
They are pathetic examples of a human being and each of them should be thrown off the Board immediately.